Wall structure with interlocking panel members



Feb; 14, 1967 G. w. MINDS, JR 3,303,622

WALL STRUCTURE WITH INTERLOCKING PANEL MEMBERS Filed NOV. 7, 1963 I NVENTOR.

BYW?

ATTURNEYS GEOBGE w. M INDISJJR.

United States Patent 3,303,622 WALL STRUCTURE WITH INTERLOCKING PANEL MEMBERS George W. Minds, Jr., Pacific Palisades, Califi, assignor of one-half to John B. Colligan, Glendale, Calif. Filed Nov. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 322,235 Claims. (Cl. 52-473) This invention relates generally to an improved wall structure which is suitable for diverse applications such as building siding, fences, decorative building facades, varied enclosures, air louvers, and the like.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved wall structure which may be assembled without the necessity of screws, bolts, or the like, and yet which will present and embody a rugged, decorative structure which once assembled will not require any substantial maintenance or care.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved wall structure or siding which enables air flow therethrough for ventilating or cooling purposes, provides a weather barrier and which will still prevent viewing therethrough, and yet which is characterized by an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved wall structure which may be pre-fabricated and which may be mass produced on a relatively economical basis, and still which is susceptible of convenient assembly without the need of skilled workmen.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved wall structure which embodies a minimum of fabricated parts and which is relatively ideally adapted for metallic materials such as steel or aluminum.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved wall structure which may be conveniently designed to accommodate different dimensional requirements varied in appearance without any substantial modification of the structure as a whole.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are generally attained by providing in an improved wall structure, according to the present invention, a panel retaining member and at least one panel designed to be coupled to the panel retaining member.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the panel retaining member includes on at least one side thereof a laterally projecting portion which defines with the retaining member spaced apart opposing notches. The panel, as such, includes angled edge portions designed to interlock, respectively, with the opposing notches. For this purpose, it is desirable that the angled edge portions be biased inwardly such that they must be forced apart in order to be sprung into the opposing notches of the projecting portion and thereby couple the panel to the panel retaining member.

A better understanding of the present invention will be had by now referring to the drawings, showing merely one illustrative embodiment, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of the wall structure of the present invention showing the panels interposed between panel retaining members;

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the panels showing their inter-relationship to the panel retaining member;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view showing a clip for retaining opposing panels together in an intermediate portion thereof between the conventional panel retaining members; and

FIGURE 4 is an alternate preferred form of the clip of FIGURE 3.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG- URE 1, a sill or lower rail and an upper rail or header 11. Panels 12 and 13 are designed to be received between the rails 10 and 11 and to be coupled thereto to form a combination according to the present invention.

Considering the invention in detail, it will be noted that the rail 10 is preferably in the form of an I beam which has a lower flange 14, a web or vertical portion 15, and an upper flange 16. The lower flange 14 forms a base for receiving the lowermost edges of the panels 12 and 13, while the upper flange 16 is die cut to form the structural portions for retaining the panels 12 and 13.

Since the bottom flange of the header or upper rail 11 is identically formed to the upper flange 16 of the rail 10, a description of the flange 16 and the manner in which it cooperates with the panel 13, for example, will suffice for both rails or panel retaining members 10 and 11.

In this regard, the flange 16 is provided with an elongated longitudinal portion 17 aligned with the web 15. The longitudinal portion 17 has laterally extending therefrom on either side thereof a plurality of projecting portions 18, shown illustrati-vely in FIGURE 2 as 18 and 18a. The projecting portions 18 are trapezoidal in shape in the illustrated form shown, and preferably have angled sides 19 and 20 as indicated which merge towards each other in an outward direction. The projecting portion 18 defines with the longitudinal portion 17 opposing notches 21 and 22.

As heretofore stated, each of the projecting portions 18 is identically formed. For example, the projecting portion 18a includes a similar notch 22a.

It will be appreciated that only a partial portion of the wall, according to the present invention, is shown in the drawings of FIGURES 1 and 2. In consequence, although in this specification a description is only being made of the interlocking of one of the panels 13-to the retaining member 10, it will be appreciated that a plurality of the panels 13, 13a, etc., and panels 12, 12a, etc., will be interlocked between the rails or panel retaining members 10 and 11.

The panel member 13 is formed with a face 23 which terminates in angled edges 24 and 25. The face 23 of the panel may actually be of any shape in contour. The angled edge 24 is formed with an inwardly turned or hooked portion in the form of a finger 26 and defines therewith an angled edge portion, while the angled edge 25 is formed with an oppositely inwardly turned finger 27. Normally, the angled edges 24 and 25 are of a dimension such that they will be slightly less in width than the distance between the angled sides 19 and 20a of the spaced apart projecting portions 18 and 18a. In other words, in order to position the bottom edge of the panel 13 so as to embrace the spaced apart projecting portions 18 and 18a of the flange 16 in the rail 10, it is necessary to spring apart the angled edge portions 24 and 25. These angled edge portions once sprung apart will enable the notches 21 and 22a to receive the fingers 26 and 27 respectively.

It will be appreciated that the panels 12 and 13 may be considerably wider such that they will embrace further spaced apart projecting portions 18 and span greater widths. Thus, the particular decorative effect may be varied. It will also be appreciated that the upper edge of the panel 13 will fit into the lower flange of the rail 11 in the same manner the lower edge fits into the flange 16, and that, as heretofore mentioned, the lower flange of the rail 11 will be similarly tooled to form the projecting portions as in the upper flange of the rail 10. Thus, the upper edge of the panel 13 will fit over cut-outs provided in the lower flange of the rail 11 and abut against the upper flange of the rail 11 in the same manner that the lower edge of the panel 13, for example, abuts against the lower flange 14 of the rail 10.

It will be noted that in between the projecting portions 18, there are disposed rectangularly extendin portions 28. These portions 28 may be varied in shape and may be eliminated if desired. These portions are only the result of the particular die set-up preferably used to form the projecting portions 18 to fit a plurality of standardized constructions. The essential feature, however, is to form some type of projecting portion 18 that will provide notches to receive the fingers 26 and 27.

course, it is desirable that the panels be spaced in somewhat overlapping relationship as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 so that a ribbed effect is achieved and a continuous wall is formed. It the panels are overlapped as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, it is still apparent that air flow can occur (as indicated by the arrows in FIG- URE 2) between the panels from one side of the w-all to the other side.

In the event the overall length of the panels 12 and 13 is such as to require some type of intermediate support, a clip structure, for example as shown in FIGURE 3, may be employed.

Thus, there is shown in FIGURE 3 a pair of panels 30 and 31 in opposing relationship to a panel 32. The panels 30 and 31 may be analogous to panels 13 and 13a, while the panel 32 may be analogous to panel 12a, for example.

The clip is indicated by the numeral 33 and includes a leg portion 34 having an opening 35 therein whereby the clip 33 may be attached to an intermediate rail, girt or some type of a fixed member with a nail, screw, bolt, or the like.

The leg 34 connects with a cross-arm 36 which has angled sides 37 and 38 defining with the arm portion 36 notches 39 and 40. The notches 39 and 40 are designed to receive the hooked portions of the panels 30 and 31.

The clip is also provided with angled sides 41 and 42 having notches 43 and 44 therein which are designed to receive, respectively, the finger portions of the panel 32. The clip 33 thereby functions as an intermediate structural support for interlocking the panels together in the event the length of the panels is such as to require same, thereby preventing vibration from wind, or the like. 7

In an alternate preferred form, the clip may be constructed as shown in FIGURE 4. Thus, a leg 50' may be provided with a cross-arm 51, the latter being provided with step portions 52 and 53. In addition, the cross arm is'provided with angled portions 54 and 55.

With such a construction, the clip may be inserted by turning it at right angles to the view seen in FIGURE 4, positioning it between opposing overlapping panels 30, 31, and 32 and thereafter turning it back to the position of FIGURE 4. In such an operation only the panel 32 'need be sprungoutwardly temporarily. The panel 32 will have its finger portions engage step portions 52 and 53 while panels 30 and 31 will each have one of their fingers forced into abutting engagement with angled portions 54 and 5,

structure shown without departing from the basic spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the particular shape of the projecting portions 18 may be varied so long as the notches are formed so as to interlock with the panels and the panel retaining members. Also, as heretofore mentioned, the rectangular sections 28 may be eliminated or varied in shape. Other changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in the :art. Such changes and modifications are deemed to come within the scope of the followin claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved wall structure comprising: a pair of spaced apart panel retaining members; each of said panel retaining members comprising an I-beam with the upper flange of one of said I-beams being in opposing relationship to the lower flange of the other said I-bearns; at least one panel coupled to and between said I-bearns, each of said I-beams including on at least one side thereof at least two projecting portions, said projecting portions being disposed in the upper flange of said one I-beam and in said lower flange of the other of said I-beams, said projecting portions defining with said retaining members spaced apart notches, and said panel including angled edge portions interlocked, respectively, with said opposing notches of said projecting portions of said spaced apart I-beams in the flanges aforementioned.

2. An improvedw-all structure, according to claim 1, in which said projecting portions are integrally formed.

3. An improved wall structure, according to claim 1, in which said projecting portions are spaced apart.

4. An improved wall structure, according to claim 1, in which said angled edge portions of said panel must be sprung apart in order to interlock, respectively, with said opposing notches of said projecting portions.

5. An improved wall structure, according to claim 1, and clip means interposed between said I-beams interlocked with at least said one panel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,614,300 10/1952 Stinnett 52-473 2,742,677 4/1956 Blumenthal et al. 52-574 2,802,551 8/1957 Roberts 52-473 3,015,135 1/1962 Dean et .al 52-473 3,016,584 1/1962 Fatula 52-473 3,199,260 8/ 1965 Blok 52-574 3,253,375 5/1966 Takahara 52478 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner. V M. O. WARNECKE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN IMPROVED WALL STRUCTURE COMPRISING: A PAIR OF SPACED APART PANEL RETAINING MEMBERS; EACH OF SAID PANEL RETAINING MEMBERS COMPRISING AN I-BEAM WITH THE UPPER FLANGE OF ONE OF SAID I-BEAMS BEING IN OPPOSING RELATIONSHIP TO THE LOWER FLANGE OF THE OTHER SAID I-BEAMS; AT LEAST ONE PANEL COUPLED TO AND BETWEEN SAID I-BEAMS, EACH OF SAID I-BEAMS INCLUDING ON AT LEAST ONE SIDE THEREOF AT LEAST TWO PROJECTING PORTIONS, SAID PROJECTING PORTIONS BEING DISPOSED IN THE UPPER FLANGE OF SAID ONE I-BEAM AND IN SAID LOWER FLANGE OF THE OTHER OF SAID I-BEAMS, SAID PROJECTING PORTIONS DEFINING WITH SAID RETAINING MEMBERS SPACED APART NOTCHES, AND SAID PANEL INCLUDING ANGLED EDGE PORTIONS INTERLOCKED, RESPECTIVELY, WITH SAID OPPOSING NOTCHES OF SAID PROJECTING PORTIONS OF SAID SPACED APART I-BEAMS IN THE FLANGES AFOREMENTIONED. 